Ruth Johnson Wears a Helmet and Says You Should, Too [CHART+TRANSCRIPT]
Michigan Secretary of State promotes motorcycle safety.
Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says she started riding motorcycles when she was 12 years old. It’s something she still enjoys.
“Recently I rode about 18 miles with some people and I read one of the patches, and it said, ‘only a dog that sticks its head out the window in the car understands why we ride motorcycles,'” Johnson says.
Now that summer is almost here, Johnson is promoting motorcycle safety–something she does year-round in her capacity as the head of the agency that issues motorcycle operating permits. Johnson says she wears a helmet when she rides, and says all bikers should do the same. She also says drivers should pay attention.
“We lose over 130 people a year in Michigan from motorcycle crashes, so it is important that people watch out for motorcycles.”–Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson.
The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning observed motorcycle helmet use in 2017 and found that about 70 percent of all bikers wear helmets, which were mandatory until 2012. The chart below shows how many people died in motorcycle crashes before and after the helmet law was repealed.
Learn more about motorcycle safety here.
Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson spoke with WDET’s Pat Batcheller. Click the audio player to hear the conversation. Here’s a transcript:
Pat Batcheller: How did you become a motorcycle rider?
Ruth Johnson: Recently I rode about 18 miles with some people and I read one of the patches, and it said “only a dog that sticks its head out the window in the car understands why we ride motorcycles”. And I thought that’s probably fairly true. It is so nice. Michigan has one-fifth of the world’s fresh water. There’s nothing like pure Michigan any way you can see it, and a motorcycle is one of those ways. I’ve been riding since I was 12 and I do really enjoy it.
Pat Batcheller: Do you wear a helmet?
Ruth Johnson: I always wear a helmet, and I’m always encouraging people to make sure they get their motorcycle operator’s license. About 14 percent have not, and they’re involved in almost half of our crashes. So getting trained is so important. And then take in a refresher course, too, because motorcycles have changed, the rules have changed. It’s just so important to do both. And I’m asking all motorists to be careful. We have almost half a million of us that are endorsed that do ride motorcycles, and we need to share the road with each other, especially when you see a motorcycle, I’m asking you to look twice to save a life. Watch for motorcycles, especially on left-hand turns and our blind spots at all times. Watch for us out on the road, because it’s not like when you get a dent in your bumper when you’re on a motorcycle. It’s so important that we all are courteous to each other. Give that motorcycle extra room, too. Our brain, for some reason, perceives bigger objects as closer, so when you see a motorcycle, give them an extra few seconds, because your brain needs that time to really evaluate it, and you will probably think it’s further away than it is.
Pat Batcheller: You mentioned some of the things that we who don’t ride motorcycles, but who do drive, need to do to accommodate motorcycles and avoid accidents. The number of crashes involving motorcycles in Michigan declined about 10 percent between 2013 and 2016, according to state data [see report below]. But the number of fatal crashes involving motorcycles rose about 10 percent during that same period. What are the risks of not wearing a helmet, besides the fact that you could lose your life?
Ruth Johnson: No matter what, wearing the right gear is helpful. We lose over 130 people a year in Michigan from motorcycle crashes, so it is important that people watch out for motorcycles, and it is important that we that are on the road do everything that we can to be safe, too.
Pat Batcheller: We should note that most motorcyclists do wear helmets–about 70 percent statewide. What are some of the rules of the road for motorcycles?
Ruth Johnson: Michigan does have the toughest rules, even with the “no helmet” law. You must be 21. You must pay extra for insurance if you want to ride without a helmet. We’ve all seen people riding motorcycles and having fun doing the right thing, and we’ve all seen somebody doing something they shouldn’t be doing. So good common sense is very important when you’re on a motorcycle, or anything else, even a bicycle. You need to just be really careful in what you’re doing and pay attention to what you’re doing.
FINAL REPORT – Michigan Motorcycle Helmet Use by WDET 101.9 FM on Scribd
